


We grew up, Our shadows grew up too

by FanFicReader01



Category: Poets of the Fall
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drabbles, Ficlet, Shadows - Freeform, Short Stories, Slice of Life, i dunno man lol, im just writing stuff, loose drabbles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-30 03:23:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17216084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanFicReader01/pseuds/FanFicReader01
Summary: Inspired by the song You're Enough by Sleeping At Last, comes this weird short fic.Shadows AU: people live in our world together with their shadows.





	1. Attached to

**Author's Note:**

> quickly written to get it out of my system lol.
> 
> Yes, same concept used as in one of my first D:BH fanfics lol :P

“Hey, kid,” Olli shows a faint smile when he finally crashes down onto one of the kitchen chairs after a long day in college. “It was a rough day, huh?”

He stares at the wall. Paint is coming off everywhere but he is too lazy to fix it. Or better, he just does not find the time. He’s sure the landlord won’t be happy with it but actually it’s _his_ property and responsibility that his rooms look decent.

 The shadow of Olli nods as its sit at its own shadow table. Olli observes.

The kid is drawing and when Olli stares down at his own table, he sees there are some doodles on his groceries list. He chuckles.

 “You have to stop that. Well.. Not now, but at least when I’m at the lecture or something. Anyway, time to eat something.”

The young man murmurs something as he goes to the fridge. Not much is left and he should probably go to the night store if he want something more decent to eat.

Too exhausted from the day, Olli goes with some dry cereal and a splash of milk left in the carton.

 

 “Cheers to you. You don’t have to study.”

 “Or pulling an all-nighter because you procrastinated your paper.”

“ ‘Oh, mister Tukiainen, I’m afraid this essay is a bit… bland, don’t you think?’ Well, that’s because your so-called course is as dry as the Sahara!” Olli keeps rambling to himself and his shadow, envying the childish shadow cast on the wall.

Life would be so much easier if he too were still a kid.

 “But no. I have duties to do. Responsibilities to take! Homework to make!”

The student sighs deeply before going to his room. His shadow droops after him, realizing this time Olli won’t have time to play either.

 “You know what, I’m heading off to bed right now.”

Before his shadow can throw  tantrum at him, the young man turns off the light, swallowing all shadows in one large darkness.


	2. They don't always hide the truth

“Madam, could I help you?”

 “No.. Thanks,” Markus forces himself to smile at the retail worker before slowly backing off from the female hygiene section.

Head low, he quickly readjusts his hoodie, zipping it up all the way to his neck. He buys the other necessary supplies and once he is outside the claustrophobic space of the supermarket, he exhales.

He heads home. It’s more crowded than expected and soon he’s often pushed by other passengers.

 “Hey, Markus!” a familiar voice calls him out.

The sound of his name makes him genuinely happy.

 “How’s it going, man? Didn’t expect to see you here of all places!” his childhood friend approaches him seemingly out of nowhere but Markus doesn’t mind.

 “Doing fine. Finally living on my own. Can be tough at times, but at least I can be myself. Sort of,” Markus chuckles.

 “Uhu, good. I gotta go, see you later, bro!”

“Thanks, see you later!” Markus waves his friend goodbye and changes his posture a bit. He’s more confident again. It’s always great when people call him something like ‘dude’, ‘man’ or ‘bro.’ Just any term that doesn’t imply he’s female.

 

He reaches a more dim lit part of the city. The shadows cast are rather large. Markus walks past a shopping window and he stops for a second to observe his figure.

The hoodie hides the possible curves. But hey, he is finally growing some facial hair, right? Although that woman in the mall might’ve thought otherwise. Remembering that misfortunate moment makes his shoulders hang again, lowering his groceries. It was a mistake to look at his shadow.

 A tall, not sharp figure quietly watching back behind invisible eyes.

 “Are you mocking me?” Markus hisses at his shadow.

Although the contour isn’t sharp, Markus notices the feminine curves, the wider hips and the most horrific part: the chest.

He drops one bag to feel his own chest. It’s flat now. It will never be wrong again thanks to the surgery. And still.

 “If only some people would see me for who I _really_ am. Not just my shadow.”


	3. Old Ghosts

Jari’s morning shift just started and with fresh motivation and a new smile he starts his day.

He is always happy to spend the time with his fifth patient: Jaska Mäkinen. The old man is found in his bed as usual. When Jari arrives, he checks the man’s heartbeat. It’s steady which is a comforting sign.

 “Good morning, Jaska!” Jari exclaims.

“Good morning, Jari. I think I need to tell you something,” Jaska smiles at his nurse.

 “Oh, really? Let’s first have some breakfast, alright?” Jari nods as he puts the plate with food on a special tray. He stirs a spoon into the porridge and fills the glass with freshly squeezed orange juice.

 “Jari-,” Jaska mutters as he lets the mattress come up a bit so he can sit properly.

“The weather is going to be amazing today. All sun and shine,” Jari interrupts the older man.

 “There you go,” the nurse tucks a big napkin into Jaska’s shirt. “Enjoy your meal.”

Jaska thanks him and begins eating.

 “You know which button to push to call me if you need any help. I’ll be right back!”

 

Jari continues his routine of giving patients their breakfast. When he goes back to Jaska’s room, the old man has finished his meal.

 “It was delicious, as always.”

“Added those extra honey drops,” Jari winks before cleaning the tray and putting it aside.

 “Is everything alright, Jari?” Jaska suddenly asks. It makes Jari stop in his tracks and look at the older man.

 “Yeah, sure. Why’s that?”

“You seem a bit tense,” Jaska points out. A now trembling hand finds it way on the young male nurse’s shoulder.

 “Oh, guess I’m just too enthusiastic,” Jari giggles. He puts his hand on Jaska’s and gently squeezes.

“Everything is fine with me, Jaska. Don’t worry about me.”

 “Then I need to tell you something.” Jaska, usually a bright and optimistic person, gets all serious. There’s a frown on his brow and his eyes look concerned.

 “I hate to tell you this, but you can’t take care of me forever. How much you like me.”

“I know, I know,” Jari quickly comments.

Jaska chuckles but it sounds weak. “Yes. But I’m afraid that day is approaching closer and closer. Maybe too close.”

 Jari gives his patient a blank face. His eyes look a bit glassy. Then he snaps and shakes his head. He shivers a bit before looking normal again. Jaska frowns at that.

 “Jari?”

“Yes? Look, Jaska, I know you’re not in the best shape but it will get better. I reassure you!” Jari puts on his smile again. Jaska mutters something and his eyes drift off to the wall with the monitors beeping, keeping track of his every muscle and heartbeat.

The shadow of him is flickering even though the light in the room is steady. Jari’s shadow is standing at his side, much like the physical nurse. The shadow already mourns the fading shadow while Jari doesn’t want to have a clue yet.


	4. Our shadows grew up too

He is running for his life basically. The other boys are close to him and Jeremiah. Marko doesn’t dare to look behind his back.

It’s getting darker, meaning the shadows get longer and more intimidating. Through his fear, Marko didn’t see where he was going and now he is in an unfamiliar neighbourhood. Out of many options, he takes the alleyway on his left. Horrified he realizes he has run into a dead end.

He can hear the laughter of the boys close in. He can even see some of their shadows creep up the walls. Behind Marko, Jeremiah also cowers, the shadow poorly trembling underneath similar trembling streetlight that need serious repair.

 “There you are, weirdo!”

“Look at him, shaking like a weak leaf.”

 “Pathetic!”

“Leave m-me alone,” Marko stammers back but his hands are already protecting his face. “Please. I-, I won’t bother you ever again.”

His knees almost give away and it takes all in the young boy’s body to keep himself up in the face of the bullies. The other shadows are closing in on Jeremiah who starts shrinking, hoping to disappear much like his physical form Marko.

 

“Please, please, _please. Stop it!_ ” The small, blond boy snaps. He slowly gets back upon his feet.

Jeremiah, who usually keeps him off of the wrong path is nowhere to be seen. Yet Marko’s shadow remains on the back wall. It has grown larger than normal.

It looks more intimidating. And it also looks _pissed off_. Really, angered. If the shadow had a voice, it would’ve roared. Easily the other shadows are scared of. Marko charges in at the bullies almost as if controlled by his shadow, not the other way around.

Once Marko opens his eye again, he is back on familiar ground: on the doorstep of his home. His mother greets him with a smile and the boy plays it off like nothing happened.

When he gets back to his room, he makes sure there’s sufficient light to see his shadow. He barely remembers what happened. Except that at one moment he feared his life, the next moment he is safely home.

 

The next time it happens, it’s at school.  The bullies, after ignoring Marko for a few days, try to catch him again at the lockers.

 “This time non more stupid tricks, Saaresto,” one of them sneers.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Marko exclaims, truly confused.

 “Don’t pretend that,” another boy steps forward and pushes Marko against the locker.

That’s when Marko feels his shadow slowly detaching from its passive state. It grows and grows and when Marko looks up at the ceiling, it’s covered by his very own shadow. He barely recognizes this shadow as a part of himself. Yet, he knows deep down, _something_ must be familiar.

 “Jeremiah?” he stammers.

But Jeremiah it certainly is not. This is someone else. It’s a side of Marko he has not discovered yet. And that side is later to be known as Hamartia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol, dis could become some superhero/villain like thing actually xD


End file.
